


my ex's best friend

by buckysmischief



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, Mentions of Sex, or lack their of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-20
Updated: 2020-10-20
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:41:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27122656
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/buckysmischief/pseuds/buckysmischief
Summary: In which Bucky is in love with his best friend… who is dating his other best friend
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Reader, Scott Lang/Reader
Kudos: 22





	my ex's best friend

**Author's Note:**

> follow my Tumblr under the same handle for more :)
> 
> also i wrote this while listening to mgk's new album, so that was the inspiration for this

“If you stare at her any longer you’re going to make it obvious.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Bucky tried blowing Sam off, but Sam wasn’t having it.

Without missing a beat Sam responded, “I’m talking about you having feelings for one of your closest friends’ girlfriend.”

Bucky really wasn’t in the mood to have this discussion, not again. Yes, he knew it was wrong to have feelings for you, you were Scott’s girlfriend, but he couldn’t help it. He kept it to himself for the most part though, only Steve and Sam knew. The last thing he wanted was for you to find out and be put in an awkward situation. He also actively avoided going places he knew you’d both be at, but his excuses could only get him out of so many events and unfortunately Sam’s birthday wasn’t one of them.

Was it torture watching you dance with Scott, wondering what it was like to have your arms around him like that? Absolutely.

Was he going to stop himself? Absolutely not.

-

After almost three years of dating, you decided it was time to end things with Scott. It wasn’t a decision you made lightly - breaking someone’s heart just to save your own was one of the hardest things you’ve had to do, but you’d do it again.

Things changed when he started a new job and he began traveling more, eventually he was away more than he was home. As much as you wanted to ask him to stay, you knew he wouldn’t. That should have been enough to end things, but you weren’t one to give up on anything without putting up a fight.

After a while you couldn’t tell if normal was Scott being home or away. You asked him the last time he left to stay with you instead of getting on the plane - it wasn’t an important trip, it could have easily been a zoom meeting - and he flat out told you ‘no’, kissed you goodbye and proceeded to board the plane.

When he got back to New York, he wasn’t surprised to find all of your things out of your shared apartment, he was surprised you didn’t do it sooner. Your key and a letter were the only things left of you. He couldn’t bring himself to blame you for leaving without a proper goodbye, he also found himself too ashamed to call you looking for one.

-

“So what, you just left?”

“Are you suggesting I go back?”

“No,” Bucky blurted out before thinking, “I’m just surprised. You seemed to be dealing with the distance well.” Too well, but he kept that part to himself.

“Once it got to the point where it felt like I was single, I just figured ‘might as well be’. It really didn’t help that he barely touched me when he was home…” While you vented, Bucky helped bring your things to his spare room.

Sam insisted it was a bad idea, but when you called and told him you needed a place to stay was he supposed to turn you away? Never.

The first month went by without any problems, you had both learned to live together pretty quickly. When Scott found out where you were staying, though, that was almost an issue. Even though you were friends with Bucky and company for more than a decade before any one of you met Scott, he still felt slightly betrayed.

He had talked to Bucky multiple times since the breakup, even asked about you, but Bucky chose to keep everything that had to do with you to himself. You didn’t tell him to or even implied it, but he knew if you wanted someone to know something about you then it wasn’t his place to say anything.

“What do you expect, man? Am I supposed to be calm and understanding about my girlfriend packing up her things and moving in with another guy?”

“Ex girlfriend,” he emphasized, “and I’m not “another guy”. It’s also not my business, but maybe if you would have treated her like your girlfriend she would still be in your bed instead of mine.” Bucky hung up the phone before he could say anything else out of anger. The last thing he wanted was to make things harder for you.

“It’s funny, because the bed I’m sleeping in is technically your bed too. You just wanted to put thoughts in his head.”

“I hope I did.”

You weren’t upset with Bucky for his implications, Scott deserved it. If anything you were upset that his implications were just that, because no matter how upset Bucky was with Scott you knew he’d never go against “bro code”. No matter how perfect you’d be together.

It all started with a dream, that’s it. Over 10 years you knew this man and never once did you think about him as anything more than a friend, let alone sexually, until that. At first you chalked it up to just not having sex in awhile, but after countless mornings of seeing him shirtless your imagination started mixing with reality.

The longer you lived with him the more it felt like you were in this new territory. You would both grocery shop together, cook dinners together, wait for the other to get home to eat if one of you was running late, he’d even wait to watch his favorite shows until you wanted to watch them with him. A part of you wanted to talk to him about all the new feelings you’ve been having, because you’re just used to always telling him everything, but being rejected by Bucky just wasn’t something you were ready for.

-

“So where are we eating, what are we bringing, and who all will be there?”

As the holidays grew closer, you wondered what it would be like spending them with Bucky more and more. Friendsgiving was a tradition, but you selfishly wanted it to be just the two of you. You wondered if he would want to spend an entire Saturday baking cookies and watch corny Christmas movies on the Hallmark Channel with you. It was a month and a half away but all you wanted for Christmas was to spend that entire day cuddling and watching How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

You didn’t know it yet, but Bucky wanted all of that and so much more.

“Uh, it’s at Wanda and Steve’s place, and we’re bringing pies. Wanna help me make them?”

“As long as I get to lick the bowls. And don’t think I didn’t notice you trying to avoid my question, Yn, I’m not that easily distracted by your sweet talk.”

“A girl can try.” But he was right, and it was the other reason you just wanted to stay home that day. “Wanda and Steve, obviously, and us. Sam, Natasha, her sister Yelena… oh, and Pietro will be there too!”

“And?”

“…and Scott.”

Like he had been reading your mind, he asked, “Do you want to make them some pies, drop them off and come back home? It can be just us, ya know, if you don’t want to be around him yet.”

“As much as I want to do that, we can’t. I don’t want to have to alienate my friends.” No, you just needed to get this over with no matter how awkward it was going to be.  
And it was. You and Bucky were the last to arrive, and since your friends were all assholes who loved watching you suffer, the entire house fell silent. Bucky quickly followed you to the kitchen where Wanda, Natasha and Yelena were drinking wine and waiting to set up the food. After putting the pies in the fridge, he waved you all off to join the guys in the living room.

“So are you two sleeping together or not?” The voice was unfamiliar, but not for long. “Hi, I’m Nat’s sister, Yelena. Sorry to just put you on the spot like that, these gossips haven’t shut up about you both all morning and I got excited. Lovely pies by the way, can’t wait to try a slice!”

“Excuse her,” Natasha cut it, “she’s adopted.”

“YOU’RE ADOPTED TOO!”

“It doesn’t help that you walked in like a married couple who doesn’t realize they’re married.” Wanda finally chimed in, not only to shut the bickering sisters up, but to let you know that if she noticed that from the kitchen, Scott definitely noticed from the living room.

“So, Buck, how’s the new roommate?” Steve asks, oblivious as ever.

He didn’t have to be looking at Scott to know he was watching him like a hawk, but that wasn’t going to stop him from being honest.”Yn’s amazing. I finally have someone to cook for besides myself. And I don’t have to buy that 2-in-1 shampoo bullshit anymore, Yn got me hooked on whatever fruity shampoo she uses… everything’s great.”

Okay, so he was a little too honest.

“I was wondering who walked in smelling like grapefruit.” Sam tried to change the subject, but Pietro just had to speak up.

“Oh! So you’re the one sleeping with Yn.” He looked between Bucky and Scott, unable to control himself. “If I would have known you’re who they were talking about earlier I would have been paying more attention.”

“We’re not sleeping together, we’re just friends.” Bucky quickly cleared that up. Sure, it was one thing to make Scott think that, but not everyone else.

“But if you were,” Scott hesitated, “if you ever became more than friends… that’d be cool.”

No one questioned Scott’s comment, everyone could tell he needed a way to finally clear the air and give a blessing that Bucky wanted - even if he didn’t care to admit it.

On the drive home you were both silent, each thinking about what your friends had said earlier that day. But Bucky wasn’t thinking about the situation, not exactly, he was thinking about what he needed to do about it.

“Hey, Yn,” he finally spoke up when you were both inside the apartment, “I was wondering if you wanted to go ice skating with me next weekend? Like, um, like a date…”

Your silence was driving him insane, he could feel the seconds ticking by until you finally jumped into his arms and cupped his cheeks. “You don’t know how long I’ve wanted you to ask me that.”

“Is that so?” You nodded. “Well then, I guess I should do better than ice skating for keeping you waiting.”

It took you a long time, but it was obvious. It was Bucky, it’s always been him, and you didn’t want to waste another second. Without thinking about the consequences, you kissed him, and it was a damn good thing he was holding you because from the moment he kissed you back your legs turned to jello.

Unfortunately, you had to stop to breathe at some point. As you caught your breath you noticed how he was still smiling and wondered how you went so long without noticing that’s how he always looked at you. “I don’t care where we go or what we do, as long as I’m with you I’ll love it.”


End file.
